We may criticize the amount of people taking food pics nowadays but a look back to Renaissance art and the countless still-life oil paintings of fruit prove that food art has been inspiring for centuries.
The pop artist Andy Warhol elevated simple soup cans in his vivid pop art food portraits of American life, giving fanfare to even the most humble subjects. The democratizing effect of food, along with the interpretations of art, food art has solidified its place as a muse for the masses and is here to stay. To varying degrees, we have an emotional response to different foods; it makes sense that we use food to express our emotions and experiences through art.
Food art often falling under the category of "still life" can be seen everywhere from top art galleries and at prestigious events like Art Basel Miami to the Salone del Mobile in Milan and the category continues to grow. Several fashion brands have produced collections inspired by food, most famously Moschino’s fast food collection in 2014 where Creative Director, Jeremy Scott satirically paid tribute to junk food and culture, and Demna's catwalk in a Paris McDonald's. Designers know the power of food art in today's culture. Images of food art from social media platform like Instagram and Pinterest often go viral and can be seen across the web. This viral effect and the emotional connection people appeals to consumer and luxury brands alike who often become subjects themselves of food art, both unwilling and willing. Some brands see the synergy as a benefit with great potential and reach, commissioning food art of their own, hoping the catch the next social media wave.
CHANEL 3 Ways
Not only tangible art but now also digital art has made it possible to express mythical and strikingly realistic compositions of food never seen before. NFT's are a new type of digital art that often uses food-based characters and inspiration for a collection, knowing the universal appeal of the subject.
Food art is an excellent canvas on which to demonstrate one’s point of view as everyone already has a unified idea of what a banana looks like and can therefore be so easily disrupted. The infinite possibilities that come from imagining what a banana could be is what makes food art so fascinating and popular.
Fruit Sections
Digital art and tangible art even inspire each other. An artist like David Pollot, on Instagram as davepollotart, takes the traditional subjects and style of oil paintings and transforms them into modern day food art. The physical paintings are for sale but have taken on a life of their own, becoming famous also on social media to where one begins to wonder whether the concept was first envisioned first as digital or tangible art.
Dave Pollot Art
With the ability to always remain trendy, food art is not just for making a statement but for honoring what sustains us. A photo of a glistening, fresh carrot just pulled from the earth, laying in the sun will appeal to almost anyone if it's put in the right light. We are inherently drawn to nature and the iterations of it and as we evolve, our [food] art will too.
Perspectives on Food Art
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